And that’s not all. On May 20, you can also go to the Penguin Books Facebook page and enter a contest to win both the above books and the DVD of the “Flowers in the Attic” made for TV movie.

(Corrected) Now comes an announcement of publication of two more books in the series, “Christopher’s Diary: Secrets of Foxworth” and “Christopher’s Diary: Echoes of Dollanganger.”

How, you may ask, are there new books in the series, since V.C. Andrews died in 1986? Ahh, a ghost writer have taken over to replicate her stories of the world’s most dysfunctional family.

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Frankly, when I watched the movie of “Flowers in the Attic” and read the new paperback copy of “Petals on the Wind,” I was totally puzzled as to why they are so wildly popular. Uplifting topics like incest, imprisonment and starvation of children, car accidents, poisoning, a rich inheritance, people who are almost universally beautiful and sensuous, a fabulously wealthy family, and the kind of writing that makes me itch to grab a red pencil.

How many Yoda-like sentences can a reader take? Like this one: “He had my hand in his and tightly he held it.” And that is an isolated example not.

But the excitement is building for the May 26 premiere of “Petals on the Wind.” Forbidden love and a taste for revenge prove to be a strong attraction.

Briefly, in the first book, “Flowers in the Attic,” the four children’s father is killed in an automobile accident and their mother, in order to weasel a million dollars out of her fabulously wealthy father, goes to her parent’s home. But since she had illicitly married her uncle, grandma has dubbed the children spawn of the devil, and grandpa, who is dying, must never see them. So they are locked in the attic. For two years.

“Petals on the Wind” starts when they escape and set out to achieve Cathy’s dream of becoming a famous ballerina and Christopher’s of becoming a doctor.

Cathy becomes a prima ballerina after practicing in the attic | Lifetime

Don’t let me spoil your fun. I’ll be watching the film on May 26 on the theory that it MUST be better than the book. After all, Lifetime’s showing of “Flowers in the Attic” last January was a big hit. At least the cast is interesting:

Heather Graham as Corrine, the evil mother. She also appeared in January’s “Flowers in the Attic.”

Ellen Burstyn as Olivia, the Bible-quoting evil grandmother. (What a fun role for Ellen Burstyn!)

Dylan Bruce as Bart, the evil mother’s new husband.

Rose McIver as Cathy in her 20s, the young girl who grew up in the attic with her sister and two brothers, until they escaped and she pursued her dream of becoming a ballet dancer. (This part was played by Kiernan Shipka – Sally on “Mad Men” – in “Flowers in the Attic.”) Rose debuted on screen in “The Piano” and played in “The Lovely Bones.”

Wyatt Nash as Christopher, the brother, savior and would-be lover of Cathy (played by Mason Dye of “Flowers in the Attic”). Wyatt also played in “Pretty Little Liars.”

Baily Buntain as Carrie, the younger sister, who is supposed to be dwarfish with a large head on a too-small body and not attractive to men. This is not exactly type casting.

Here’s a preview of “Petals on the Wind” in all of its overblown emotional glory.

Vera Marie Badertscher first went to the movies at the Duncan Theater in Killbuck, Ohio, when her grandmother was selling tickets. Now she watches Netflix and TV movie channels more often than movies in theaters, but she loves to rediscover old favorites. When she’s not at the movies, she’s reading and traveling and writing at A Traveler’s Library and Ancestors In Aprons. Follow her on Twitter at @pen4hire.